The Guilty - Jason Pinter [77]
"No fruitcake. His in-laws send one every Christmas and
The Guilty
225
he chucks it. Later, Henry, give me a ring if you need
anything." I hung up, then dialed the number Agnes Trimble
had given me for Largo Vance. Hopefully Vance was an early
riser. The phone picked up on the very first ring.
"Yes, who is this?" a high-pitched voice croaked out.
"Hello, is this Professor Largo Vance?"
"If this is Jehovah's Witness, then no. If it's anyone else,
depends who's calling."
"Mr. Vance, my name is Henry Parker. I'm a reporter with
the New York Gazette and I was given your name by Professor Agnes Trimble--"
"Agnes! I haven't seen that minx in years." There was a
moment of silence as I tried to think of what to say. "Oh, come
now, Mr. Parker, don't be offended. I mean that with the
highest compliments. Agnes is a randy little minx, she and I
go way back."
"That's, um, wonderful. Anyway, Mr. Vance, if you have
a few moments today, I'd like to talk to you about Brushy
Bill Roberts."
This time the silence came from Largo Vance's end. His
response came sputtering out. "How fast can you be here?"
"Um, I don't know where you live, Mr. Vance..."
"3724 Bleecker. Be here in half an hour." He hung up.
"Who was that?" Amanda asked. She was sitting up in bed,
clutching a pillow in her arms.
"A potential source Professor Trimble gave me yesterday,"
I said. "An old professor. I think he has some more information on the Billy the Kid lead."
"Henry," she said, "please...be careful. Just yesterday you
were in the emergency room and..."
"I know that." I went to the bed and sat down next to her.
I took her hand in my good one, raised it to my lips and
226
Jason Pinter
kissed her fingers. "I promise I'll be careful. There are policemen downstairs who are going to watch you, just to make
sure this lunatic doesn't come after us again. If you go
anywhere other than work, you know Curt's number. Call
him."
"This lunatic killed four people," she said. "If he wants to
kill, he's going to get them." I let that sink in, knew she was
probably right.
"Call in sick today. Just this once. I have to go talk to this
guy Vance. I have to."
"Then go," Amanda said. "The sooner you go, the
sooner you get back, the less time I have to spend worrying
about you."
"Listen, that guy wouldn't have attacked me if he didn't
have something to hide. He has an entire city police force
looking to draw and quarter him. A newspaper reporter
doesn't pose that much of a threat, comparatively."
"If he was willing to break into our apartment and do what
he did, it must be something awful he wants to keep a secret."
"That just means I'm going to find it," I said. "I'll call a
locksmith, have him change the locks and get a security
system installed."
"This apartment?" Amanda said. "That's like getting rims
on a 1987 Yugo."
"Now that sounds like one crunked-up car. Don't worry
about me," I said. I was having trouble pulling a shirt over
my head, so Amanda came over to help. "I'm Mr. Incredible."
"Well, please ask Mr. Incredible why he needs help getting
dressed. In the meantime Lois Lane would like it very much
if he looks both ways before he crosses the street."
"Surely will. Besides, you'd make a sexy-ass Lois. My
phone will be on if you need anything."
The Guilty
227
"Just remember not to open it with that claw of a hand."
"I won't."
"And Henry?" Amanda said. I turned to her, smiled, but
the smile quickly faded when I saw the look on her face. "Be
careful. I can't say it enough."
"I will," I said. "Love you."
"Love you, too."
I left on that sentiment. I nodded to the cops parked
outside. They gave half nods back but otherwise did not acknowledge me. As I walked, I saw one plainclothes follow
about ten yards behind me while the other followed in a squad
car. When I entered the subway, plainclothes followed,
staying at the other end of the car, pretending to read a copy
of one of those free newspapers that people toss onto the
tracks and end up clogging the drainage systems.